Makulaku Lakritsa and Runebergin makeistukku have been sold to a company founded by MB Funds

The owners of Makulaku Lakritsa Oy (Makulaku Confectionery Ltd) and Runebergin Makeistukku Oy Ltd have sold the entire stock of the companies to a company founded by the Finnish private equity firm MB Funds by a contract signed on 23.1.2014. The ownership will be transferred on 10.2.2014.

Makulaku Lakritsa Oy is a family owned company specializing in liquorice and whose strengths are liquorice twist, filled liquorice, as well as organic liquorice. In organic liquorice the company is certified and a major player. The company is owned by Gina and Anne Jussila and it was founded by their father, Helge Jussila in 1994.

Makulaku operates in the Finnish and in export markets – a third of its turnover comes from exports and the company exports to more than 20 countries.

The company’s production lines and factory have recently been invested in significantly and with the new owner, especially the marketing of the products will be developed systematically.

Runebergin Makeistukku Oy Ltd is a retail sales concept selling the Makulaku confectionery and imported sweets mainly at service stations.

The companies employ a total of about 40 people and have a combined turnover of around 7.0 million euros. Both companies are domiciled in Porvoo, Finland.

The new company’s shareholders will include Risto Jämsén and Jorma Alanen, who have worked in the field of confectionery in the past in the management of Panda. Risto Jämsén is to be appointed CEO of the company.

“Makulaku is a versatile liquorice expert, with a product range and production that are at the cutting edge. The company is a specialist in particular in the manufacturing of organic products. Under the new ownership we will be even more active in bringing these flavors to different markets and in developing our product range according to consumer preferences. Makulaku’s products are familiar to many, but we will be focusing on the awareness, sales and marketing of them even more in the future“, says Risto Jämsén.

“There are a number of interesting, different sized food companies in Finland, out of which Makulaku has significant development potential. These companies often have insufficient resources to respond to the operational models required by the major retail chains. With the support of MB Funds we will be able to build a strong partner for retailers“, Hannu Puhakka from MB Funds explains the background for the transaction.